Learning about $ and cents can be fun

This post came out from The Straits Times (27 August 2015)

The sound of scissors snipping, newspapers rustling and children excitedly chatting away filled Ang Mo Kio Family Service Centre - Basic yesterday. More than 40 children at the centre - one of three under AMKFSC Community Services - pieced together words and pictures from The Straits Times to learn to identify the differences between a need and a want.

The afternoon's exercise, on financial literacy, required the youngsters to select images or advertisements that feature various objects, which they then classify into two columns. For example, they pasted pictures of watches under "Needs" and those of cars under "Wants". Said Liau Siong Kai, eight, a Primary 2 pupil from Ang Mo Kio Primary School: "It's fun... I will go home and do this with my parents."

The financial literacy worksheets were created by The Straits Times Schools team. They were sponsored by the RHB Banking Group, and will be distributed electronically with 2,000 hard copies of STep: My Year In The News, which also contains values-centered activities. RHB has also sponsored the 2,000 copies of STep. STep is a current affairs folder, also created by The Straits Times Schools team, and included stickers and cutouts. Sponsored copies will go to beneficiaries of The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund (SPMF), some of whom were present at yesterday's session.

Thoughts:

1. Any attempts to educate the children/ youth on financial literacy is a step that we should encourage! How often do you come across children making a fuss at items that they desire, but the parents are unable to afford? The identification of Needs and Wants, from an early age, will be able to guide these children at a younger age to know how money can be better spent!
2. Next we also would wish to explore how children can be a positive catalyst for their parents as well. Look at the example of the student in the report, who wish to play it with his parents. If we have more of such examples (and parents learn from it and are encouraged), we probably will see lesser low income families with budgeting challenges.

Thoughts anyone?

Yours,

Something Small Thinking Big

Do you know where to seek help in Singapore?

Singapore is not a welfare state. This is something which the political leaders have been emphasizing about, despite the numerous social transfers made to help uplift the low income families.

 I am keen to look at the different institutions here to help the needy families here and share about my finding and understanding. I believe many of the people are not speaking out if they have difficulties, and the internet is a good place for them to search for information.

I intend to dig out more information such as services and schemes that are available at the Ministries, Self Help Groups, Voluntary Welfare Organizations, Family Service Centres etc and share it here for everyone to learn about. Hopefully the list can be useful for any needy persons who drops by.

Yours,
Something Small Thinking Big